Love's Strange Fate
by ArcherHawkeye
Summary: Not wanting to worry his friends, a certain blonde hides the fact that he's bullied at school. But all secrets come to light eventually. AU/OC, YAOI! Clack.


Soooo...it's repostign time. Haha. For all my readers who found me on this account, just know that ALL of the next like...6 fics, are all reposts from my old account (see my profile and fave authors list for the name and link). And this is one of them. A one shot for an old friend. Remeber guys! REVIEWS = LOVE!

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><p>Zack was standing over the stove, working on dinner when Cloud walked in from class. "Ah, there you are, Cloud! I was beginning to worry!" he smiled cheerfully at the blonde. "Dinner'll be ready soon."<p>

"I wanted a little extra training, so I stayed after. And okay, I'll change and shower first." Cloud explained as he walked to his room, setting his backpack on his full-sized bed. He sat down, taking off his jacket to reveal his shirt was torn and a little bloody. _'Damn, I hate bullies.'_ he thought as he looked at the minor cuts his chest bore from the attack. None too deep, really just scratches compared to when he'd lived in Nibelheim, and for that, he was grateful. Sighing, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it into the trashcan before moving to walk into his shower. He'd been living with Zack for a year, and no matter how much he loved the man, he couldn't bring himself to make a move.

He'd even talked Zack into getting 2 bathrooms so that there wasn't a chance of happening upon Zack in the shower. He was grateful for that now as he didn't want to upset Zack by having to tell the truth. Zack didn't know Cloud was being bullied. And the blonde intended to keep it that way for at least another 3 months. Then he'd graduate and wouldn't have to deal with the bullies anymore and he could spend a lot more time with Zack. The thought in itself made a small smile curve his lips. He walked slowly to his bathroom, taking care not to let the blood from his wounds get the carpet dirty. Surefire way to get Zack upset was by letting it slip that he was being bullied. As he took his pants off, he felt the world tilt before he caught himself on the side of the tub. "It's okay..." he assured himself in a whisper. "I just need to get cleaned up and I'll be fine." He nodded as he carefully stepped into the shower, the water soaking his hair and sending a slight wave of pain down his body as the warm water hit the cuts. The pain quickly vanished so that the muscles in Cloud's back could relax. Closing his eyes, he sighed happily and began washing up. After a few minutes, he felt dizzier than he had before he'd gotten in, his body fell forward, and he tried to catch himself, but the wall was wet from the shower, so his grip failed and he crashed down into the tub, the world going pitch black.

Cloud awoke to the feel of a bed beneath him and voices mumbling in the distance. Opening his eyes, he looked around to find himself in Zack's bedroom. As the thought registered that he was in Zack's bed, he gasped and sat up, wincing at the assault of pain that tore through him. A hiss of equal power to said wince escaped his lips. As he did so, he grabbed at his side, where a large gash was from his most recent attack.

"Cloud?" a worried voice asked.

Looking up, Cloud met a worried violet gaze as Zack walked into the room and toward the bed to sit by the blonde. "Zack, uhh…"

"You should lay down, spike." A new voice said. Looking past Zack, Cloud saw a male of about 2 years older Zack, with fiery red hair and smoky blue eyes, enter the room.

"Reno."

"Sup, yo?" the redhead inquired with a smirk. "Had Stray come check you out when Zack here called. She says you're okay, but you need a lot of rest to get the blood you lost back."

"Stray was here?" Cloud asked, surprised the little brunette hadn't stayed.

"Yes, she does live with Reno. She left to go check on another of her patients." Zack replied. "What happened? How did you get all banged up like this?" He motioned to Cloud's bandages, no doubt compliments of Stray's mothering nature, and Cloud was certain that for a moment, violet orbs had tears brimming.

"Wait, Stray has _patients_?" Cloud asked, eyes widening a fraction.

"Only a few. Victims of child abuse that she tries to reach and get them to trust her so that she can get them the help they need." Reno replied, smiling fondly at the mention of his girlfriend. "But you changed the subject."

"You did." Zack agreed. "Tell us what happened."

Cloud looked down, unsure if he could actually tell Zack and Reno the truth. Even Stray would have trouble getting this out of him. "Well, uhh…you see. It's rather…complicated. I…I mean, it's really hard to explain and all-"

"He was being bullied." A female voice said, the tone authoritative. A brunette female, only 2 inches shorter than Reno, stepped into view as she put a cell phone into her jeans pocket, brown hair falling in layers about a pale face as hazel eyes watched Cloud. "Right, Cloud?" she tilted her head.

"Stray…" Cloud whispered, blinking back tears.

"What?" Zack asked.

"How do you know that, yo?" Reno inquired.

"Called the school." Stray answered. "Turns out a group of guys harassed Cloud to the degree of felony. Officials at the school checked footage from the hidden cameras and found the proof they needed. The 4 boys that jumped Cloud are expelled and under Delinquent care as we speak. I just got off the phone with the detention center." She looked at Cloud and smiled gently. "Hey there, blondie." She cooed, walking over to run a pale hand through blonde spikes and playfully tousle them. "You had the three of us worried."

"I…I'm sorry, Stray…" Cloud muttered, looking down to hide his tears but leaning into the comforting touch of his older sister-like friend.

"It's okay. It's not like we're mad at you. You just scared us with it. I can understand if you didn't want us to worry." Stray smiled and sat on Cloud's other side as she crossed her legs.

"No…you…you always told me I could go to you. And I didn't…" Cloud felt tears slip down his face as his hands began to shake. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he leaned into Zack with a sob.

Stray sighed and looked at Reno. "We better go, Reno-kun." She said, gaining a small 'Mhmm' from the redhead before she stood from the bed and patted Cloud's head. "Call us if you need anything, Zack."

"I will, Stray. Thank you both." Zack whispered, closing his eyes to hold back the tears at Cloud's pain. He listened as Stray and Reno left before pulling Cloud tight against him. "Gaia, Cloud, I was so worried when I found you." He whispered.

"You…you found me?" Cloud asked, looking up with puffy blue eyes.

"All banged up and blood mixing with the water. I almost died right there." Zack took a ragged breath and held Cloud tighter. "I really did. Gaia, all I could think about was how much you meant to me and how I'd never really said anything, and-"

Cloud buried his face in Zack's chest, not wanting to hear anymore. "I'm not worth all that, Zack."

"Like hell, Cloud!" Zack argued, releasing Cloud just enough to force the blonde's face up to look at him. Looking into baby blue eyes for a moment, he suddenly brought his lips to Cloud's, running a hand up into blonde hair and pulling Cloud close. A startled noise escaped Cloud as he felt his breathing stop shirt. No way was Zack kissing at that moment. He'd fallen asleep in the shower, surely. But somehow he didn't care. He could drown, quite literally since he'd fallen asleep, in the feel of Zack's lips on his own. He pulled away for a breath due to his head spinning and listened as Zack caught his breath as well. "Damnit, Cloud, I'm in love with you. Don't you dare say you aren't worth it."

Cloud froze. "What, Zack?"

"You heard me, Cloud." Zack said with a grin. "I'm in love with you."

"Okay, this is definitely a dream." Cloud said aloud. "And I'm just dreaming up some weird fantasy where my roommate that I've been in love with for 3 years is in love with me back. That has to be it."

Rolling his eyes at the blonde's rambling, Zack leaned in and took Cloud's lips into a gentle kiss. "It ain't no dream, babe. Care for me to prove it?" he asked.

Later that night, as Cloud lay snuggled against Zack, skin on skin in pure bliss, watching as Zack slept, his phone rang. Turning carefully in Zack's embrace, he answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Blondie. I was calling to check on you. You okay?"

"I…I've never been better, Stray." Cloud answered the female. The smile was evident in Stray's voice as the brunette answered.

"So I take it you two said what you were scared to before?" Stray asked.

"And a whole lot more, babe, I'm pretty sure." Cloud heard Reno say in the back ground.

"Reno!" Stray scolded, and a playful smack was heard. Cloud couldn't help but laugh softly. Reno was so on target, and the redhead didn't even know. He and Zack had spent 3 hours memorizing each other's bodies. It was so blissful and so real that Cloud didn't want to leave where he was at this point.

"Yeah, Stray. And don't tell Reno, but he's right." He said, gaining Stray's attention. "No need to boost his ego, huh?"

"Yeah, definitely." Stray replied with a giggle. "I congratulate you, Blondie."

"Thanks, Stray." Cloud answered. "I better go. I'm really tired." The bell-like laugh echoed in his ear as Stray appeared to nod.

"Alright, I'll let you go." Stray said.

"Have fun, Blodie!" Reno chimed, earning another playful smack from his girlfriend by the sounds of things.

"Bye." Cloud hung up the phone with a small laugh, set the phone on the bedside table and curled into Zack once again, sleeping in Zack's bed as a lover, not a friend. That in itself would make his day for weeks on end…

Okay, I seriously cried writing one part of this. If anyone can guess where, I will give them a huge chocolate chip cookie!


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